Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-03
LONDON GOSSIP.
SOME OF THE FEATURES OF THE MILL
TARY TOURNAMENT.
Dashing Riding and Wonderful Skill
The Musical Ride OF the Horse
Guards

A London letter 10 the World says
The military tournament now going on
at the Agricultural Hall is one OF the
annual show features Of London. This
is the eighth exhibition. The soldiers
in the various branches of The English
service have the opportunity here OF
showing features of skill and daring
and giving the public some idea OF the
value Of the special training schools in
the English army. Judging 10y the
results Of yesterday, should say
that the training they have. as
shown in the magnificent contests
Of physical endurance, the exhibitions
of riding, fencing, and Of the practical
duties Of soldier, is of a very high
character. The men selected were
strong, why, active, and splendid look
ing young fellows. All OF the con
testants were non-cOmmisslOncd OIL
Gers and troopers. These exhibitions
attract large audiences, and have re-
suited in great profits 10 the orlgl-
majors. The hall is large and long,
with an arena eight hundred TO thou
sand feet in length ard about two hun
drcd feet in width. IL Is IN this arena
that all of the feats take place. The
fencing and the contests between the
sword and the bayonet are not so in
teresting as those which brought feats
Of riding into play.
One of the first exhibitions OF riding
was what was known as lenon-cutting.
Two lemons were suspended by n
thread about fifteen feet apart and
hung from small wooden stands about
the height Of cavalry riders sword
arm. AT a signal from the bugler the
rider would come dashng in at one end
of tho arena at full speed, and as he
flew down by the lemons he would
mako a forward cut at the first thread
and O back handed cut at the next one.
The distance between the two is very
short and the speed was tremendous.
yet two or three OF tho most skilful
riders succeeded in dropping each
lemon by very scientific cuts. This
trial was followed by tent-pegging. In
the first place square peg painted
white was driven well down in the
ground, leaving about four inches
standing above. Then various num-
beIs of the corps of lancers would
charge down at it at full speed. and in
passing it were required TO strike this
peg full with the lance and tear it from
the ground and carry it clear TO the end
of the arena upon the point Of the
lance. In order 30 constitute a success
this was 10 be done without for second
checking the speed Of the horse. The
two heroes Of this piece of riding were
members espectively OF the Life Guards
and Of the Princes Own. The public
here expect more from Life Guards
man, and this particular representa-
tive never failed to carry off the peg.
Hut the iavorte of all was Young fell
low from the Princes Own Guards.
lie was round headcd, small-fcatured,
slim-wnistcd, with hair the color of
pale mustard, while his eyes were II
dare. devil grayish-bue. He had
little wIsp OF q moustache and neat,
reckless, defiant set-up. There WAS
III ms manner combination of
swaggcr and graceful effrontery.
He would come riding in ut
the peg as if there was nothing on
earth easier for him to DO. He never
hurried any of his movements,
although his horse moved like Il steam
engine. and he invariably fourshcd
his lance twice, and at the very last
possible second would strike the peg
clean in the centre. At once it would
fly ont and 60 swinging round his
head as he sat like a man of steel upon
his magnificent boiling black bay
horse. OF all feats of daring and
skill this rattlc-headed young fellow
I'd the audience checrcd in advance
The most interesting feature of the
exhibit was the musical ride of the
Horse Guards. Thirtv-two priyates of
this snowy military organization rode
in upon thirty-two black horses. The
horses a. well as the men appeared to
I've all of the same size and age. |
have never seen such IA piece of military
machinery s. was exhibited IN this
series of movements. The band of
horscmcn went through their move
mcnts without n word of command.
They would first divide and go through
all the movements of u cOtllon.
and then circle through the most
complicated mazos OF the most fancIiul
Of germans. The men and horses
would weave in and weave out of its
various figures without word or II
motion. The men sat like statues
npon their black horses while the band
played smilly, indicating the move
mcnts. The precision aud the grace
Of tins drill made a sight which the
audience chcorcd again and again
The horses would change step at the
change IN the music. Sometimes the
ovoiutiOns were SO complicated that if
the horses engaged in it had not all
gone at exactly the same pace and the
same speed there would have been
break and consequent confusion.
One OF tie wonderful pieces OF horse
mauship was IN the drawing OF field
cannon ut a hand-gallop about the
arena between certain marked places.
An officer Of sItillery would come
deshlng in, followed 10y tield-piece
drawn by six horses. There was an
artillery rider for each team, with !
two men on the caisson. Earthcn pots
were placed about at distance just |
wide enough to permit the heavy !
wheels of this great wagon TO pass
through without hitting. The thing |
was to drive this clumsy vehicle at top |
speed and come safely through every !
place without hitting The officer, who |
goes ahead, acts as pilot. The horses
were very large and powerful aud as
excited as those in the fire service.
They came IN pmnging and rearing |
with the heavy wagon ut their rafting
hoOis. ii was marvellous to see how
deity and skifully these clumsy
engines were dragged through various
places marked for them, and only at
rare intervals knocking over the piece
which marked the roadway.
noticed one feature of the English
troopers riding. and that was that
during ell these daring feats they sat in
their saddles after the fashion OF the
Wild West cowboys. There was no
attempt at any time, not even when
the horses were trottlng, TO rise in the
saddle. Some of the horses were ridden
during the exhibits without saddles.
IL was much more interesting
and attractive exhibition of a soldiers
H. mara dill The l